Going to the Rose Parade? Here's how to do it

Pasadena officials offer some rules and advice to help spectators float through the event.

Ian Day gets some sleep on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena the night before… (Arkasha Stevenson, Los…)

Days before a procession of colorful floats begins rolling through downtown Pasadena, Rose Parade officials have issued some advice for the thousands of spectators expected to crowd the 5.5-mile route Tuesday.

For starters, don't bring tents, sofas or boxes that can be used as seats or stools, all of which are banned. And don't bring fireworks or start a bonfire. Also, officials warned against flinging any projectiles onto the parade route, mentioning tortillas, marshmallows or flowers as examples.

They offered some other guidelines: Overnight camping is permitted Monday night only, before the parade; the only way to hold onto that prime spot is to stand vigil, which you can begin doing at noon Monday; and no public areas — sidewalks, curbs, gutters, streets — can be cordoned off; and children younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult on the route between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Those camping overnight, especially children and seniors, should dress in thick layers to guard against the cold. Pets, officials said, are not advised to be included if they are frightened by sudden, loud noises.

And spectators who bring a small grill must make sure it is at least a foot off the ground and kept 25 feet away from buildings and other combustibles. Be sure to have a fire extinguisher and water on hand.

In case of emergency, officials said to call (626) 744-4241 from a cellphone or 911 from a land line and be prepared to give a location.

The 124th Rose Parade — this year's theme: "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" — will begin at 8 a.m. Tuesday at Green Street and Orange Grove Boulevard, continue for two hours at a 2.5-mph pace onto Colorado Boulevard for the longest stretch, and end at Sierra Madre Boulevard and Villa Street.

The weather is expected to be partly cloudy and chilly, with a low of 43 degrees the night before the parade, according to a National Weather Service forecast. That's expected to give way to sunny skies and a high of 60 Tuesday.